Apostate
by siggy63
Summary: What might have happened if Brat'ac had never visited in 'Threshold'


"I am a bird in God's garden

And I do not belong to this dusty world…"

"""""""""

Memory 

He'd once told Daniel Jackson that he never dreamed, because Kel'no'reem was not like human sleep; his mind did not embark on an uncontrolled kaleidoscope of fantasy, but he did remember things. Teal'c was remembering something now as he sat, crossed legged and bathed in candle light on the floor of his quarters. He was remembering holding Samantha Carter.

He could feel her body pressed tightly against his own. She'd been caught in an avalanche on some ice planet millions of light years from Earth. Teal'c had stripped first her then himself and cocooned them both in his sleeping bag. Now he was remembering the feel of her skin, pale and chill against his own, leeching the heat from his muscles. He was remembering rubbing warmth back into her arms and hands; smoothing his hands over her back and being surprised at her fragility; her spine like a child's beads on a thread, her ribs prominent and delicate. He was remembering the soft pillows of her breasts against his chest, her nipples hard little points amidst her plains of sleek, white flesh. He was remembering that he loved her, that he loved all of them.

Teal'c opened his eyes and cursed his weakness.

Deception 

Sam Carter bent forwards, her hands on her knees and tried to suck air back into her lungs as pain throbbed around her kidneys.

"You are weak."

She looked up at Teal'c as he towered above her.

"On your left side, Major Carter. You are not keeping up your guard. That makes you weak and open to attack."

Sam nodded, too winded to speak.

She usually enjoyed sparring with the big Jaffa. He was a good teacher, and she had learned more about hand-to-hand combat with him than any of her instructors in the Air Force. Lately though she had not enjoyed their time together so much. She'd put it down to the torture and brainwashing Teal'c had suffered whilst a prisoner of Apophis. Dr. Mackenzie had deemed him back to normal, but the experience had obviously affected him deeply. She'd spoken to Colonel O'Neill about it, but he'd dismissed her concerns; he'd been so relieved to have his friend back. Daniel too had not seemed to notice anything unusual. She'd begun to think that she'd been imagining it until she'd seen it again today. It wasn't even anything she could put her finger on, just a vague shadow in his eyes and an emotional distance that hadn't been there before. Perhaps she noticed it because she'd always felt a strange affinity with Teal'c. From the first they had trusted one another, and at times he seemed to know her heart better than she knew it herself.

"Do you wish to continue, Major Carter?"

Sam straightened up and wiped the sweat from her eyes. "I think I'm done, Teal'c." She watched as he inclined his head in acknowledgment. "I'm going to go and get a shower. We've that briefing in thirty minutes."

"Are you looking forward to seeing your father again?"

Sam smiled. "Yeah, I am."

The Tok'ra had recently relocated to a new planet, ever wary of discovery by the Goa'uld. SG-1 were due to visit them and share recent intel on Goa'uld activity.

Sam examined Teal'c's expression closely. He was giving her a gentle smile, but there was something a little bit off about it. She picked up her towel from the floor and wiped her face and neck.

"Teal'c, are you okay?" Sam felt awkward asking him. None of them were comfortable discussing their emotional health, and Teal'c was a closed book when it came to such things. It felt like an invasion of his privacy, a privacy that had been invaded too often of late.

"I am quite well." Teal'c looked at her for a beat. " Are you uncertain of my loyalty, Major Carter?"

"God…no. No Teal'c. I was just concerned. You've been through a terrible experience…" Sam didn't know what to say and was wishing that she'd never broached the subject. "It's just that you seem a little…oh I don't know, distant…just not like yourself." She shrugged apologetically.

Teal'c came to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Sam felt the solid weight of it.

"Major Carter, I understand the past weeks have been difficult for all of us. If I am distant it is only because I am still a little unsure of your trust. Teal'c sighed and gently squeezed her shoulder before letting go. "Dr. Mackenzie has encouraged me to be aware that I was not to blame for my words and actions; still, I cannot help but feel I betrayed you all in the worst possible way, and I would understand if you found it hard to hold me in the same esteem as you once might."

Sam reached out and put her hand on his arm. His skin was warm and supple.

"I trust you Teal'c, I've never stopped, and neither have Daniel or Colonel O'Neill. You're not to blame for what happened. We're just so glad you're back."

Teal'c smiled. "As am I, Major Carter."

A large part of her wanted to accept his assurances. She tried very hard to ignore the tiny voice that whispered to her that something was not quite right.

"Okay then." Sam smiled. "I'd better get cleaned up before the briefing. I'll see you later."

""""""""""

Teal'c watched Sam leave the gym. He touched the place on his arm where she had put her hand. His fingers stroked the flesh as though she'd marked him in some way. She was a deceiver, a false companion. She had led him away from his god, but now he knew the truth. His lord had opened his eyes and shown him the perfidy of the Tau'ri. They had told him that his god was dead. They were liars and fools. His god could not die. He would return to him in triumph; he would return with news of where the Tok'ra had buried themselves like the filthy rodents they were. This information would redeem him with his lord, and he would be returned to his service. He was First Prime to Apophis not the puppet of the Tau'ri.

His fingers, once more, ran over his skin. He imagined he still felt the heat of her hand. He knew he must wash her touch away before he forgot to hate it.

Meetings 

Jack stepped through the Gate. The heat hit him as if he'd opened the door of a blast furnace; a sharp contrast after the chill of the wormhole.

"Oh, look everybody, sand. I believe Selmak is odds on favourite for this year's sandcastle competition." He automatically flicked his gaze to Carter just to catch her grin. He didn't get it this time; she was watching Teal'c.

He didn't understand what she was worried about. She'd been to see him and had expressed her concerns about the big guy, and he had listened but he hadn't seen it. She'd been so uncharacteristically non-specific. Jack had checked with Dr. Mackenzie, and as much as he disliked headshrinkers, he had to acknowledge the man had put Teal'c through every psychological hoop he could think of, and Teal'c had come through with flying colours. Jack had spent time with him, and how ever hard he tried, all he saw was the same old Teal'c.

"Sir, I'm getting some pretty hefty energy readings about eight hundred yards east of the Gate"

Carter's voice broke the silence.

"We'll look in with your dad first. Maybe you can check them out later, if we have time."

He watched her as she stood, a frown of concentration on her face as she studied her little box of tricks. "Carter?"

"Yes, sir. I really think we should make the time. These readings are unusual…definitely worth taking a look."

Jack was about to reply when, as if from nowhere, three Tok'ra appeared, their tunics matching the colour of the surrounding desert almost perfectly.

"Hey guys." Jack walked toward them.

"Greetings. I am Ari."

A stocky, dark haired man stepped forward. He gestured to his two companions.

"This is Ran'ul and Fel. If you would follow us we will take you to Selmak.

The three men turned and walked away.

Jack rolled his eyes then beckoned to the rest of SG-1 "Let's go troops."

""""""""""

Daniel disliked the living arrangements of the Tok'ra. Sterile, characterless tunnels were not his thing, and if he were honest with himself, neither were the Tok'ra. It wasn't often he shared Jack's outlook, and he would never admit it to the others, but the Tok'ra made him uneasy. They constantly protested their different political and ethical outlook from the Goa'uld, despite that Daniel could never forget that these beings were of the very same genetic stock that had taken his wife from him. They still had that arrogance and air of superiority that so characterised their more flamboyant brothers. He was pretty sure that if push came to shove, the Tok'ra would have no trouble abandoning their alliance with the Tau'ri.

The tunnel they walked through now was no different from any of the others, and Daniel was getting bored. Sam's mention of energy readings near the gate had piqued his interest. He hoped Jack would let them check it out.

"Sam!"

The sound of Jacob's voice echoed along the crystal walls.

Daniel smiled as Sam walked forward and gave her father a warm hug. At least there was one Tok'ra of whom Daniel was sure.

""""""""""

Teal'c managed to keep his face expressionless, although his disgust at the skulking Tok'ra was nearly overwhelming. As he watched Selmak embrace the Tau'ri Carter, he envisioned himself thrusting his hand down Jacob's throat, ripping the symbiote from its host and squeezing the life from its stinking flesh. He smiled as he imagined the creature's blood oozing, warm and sticky over his hand, its mouth open wide in terror.

"Sam looks happy to see her dad."

Teal'c realised that Daniel had seen his expression and misconstrued its meaning.

"Indeed." Teal'c inclined his head to Daniel and wished himself far away. The longer he stayed here the more his companions tainted him with their deceit and pretensions of friendship. He would gather what knowledge he could from the Tok'ra then he would make his way back to his Lord by any means possible. He realised he was clenching his fist so hard around his staff weapon his fingers were beginning to cramp. He made an effort to relax. It would not be much longer now.

Counsel 

They'd shared what intelligence they had of recent Goa'uld activity. The news wasn't good. Apophis's death had left a power vacuum, and no one was quite sure who was going to fill it. The Tok'ra were nervous and piecemeal with their information as always. Jack had managed not to be too sarcastic and now stood with Teal'c and Daniel, talking with Ari.

Jacob sat with his daughter drinking in the sight of her. He treasured these all too brief moments they shared. Selmak would retreat from the forefront of his mind, and he could almost pretend that they were a normal father and daughter catching up on the minutiae of each other's lives.

It was useless of course. They had never been a 'normal' father and daughter and now they were downright bizarre. He could almost hear Selmak laughing at him.

"How have you been, Sam?"

"Great…busy as always, but great. You?"

"I hate moving. I think it's all that shifting about I did back home. I wouldn't mind so much if it was somewhere with a bit of greenery." Jacob sighed, he was only half joking.

Sam patted his arm, and he took hold of her hand and squeezed.

"Have things settled down after our last bit of excitement?"

He watched her shrug.

"Yeah. Teal'c had a tough time of It, but he's been given the all clear."

Jacob gave her a long look.

"What?"

"Sam, you never could lie."

"I'm not."

"Come on, there's something bothering you."

He waited while she thought about it.

"Dad, I'm worried about Teal'c."

"I thought you said he'd been given the all clear?"

"He has."

"Then what's the problem?"

"That's just it, I don't know."

Jacob saw her frustration.

"Has he been acting strangely?"

"No…yes…no, not really. Colonel O'Neill doesn't seem to think there's a problem. Something's just not right, but I can't tell you what it is."

"Has Bra'tac said anything?"

"No, he hasn't seen him. He was meant to visit, but he was held up by problems on Chulak."

Jacob nodded. "Teal'c went through a hell of time on that ship, Sam. It's going to take time for him to really get over that."

"I know. I guess that's what I'm seeing. It's just been niggling at me."

"Have a word with Bra'tac next time he visits. Maybe he'll be able to help."

"Yeah, I will. Thanks dad."

Sam kissed his cheek. How strange Jacob thought, that it had taken getting a centuries old alien in his head for them to reach such a comfortable closeness.

""""""""""

Teal'c wasn't listening to the conversation around him. He was watching Major Carter speaking with her abomination of a father. They were talking about him. He 'd noticed their gaze shift across the room, watching him, telling their secrets and lies. The woman suspected him; he knew it. The time had come to end this charade.

"T, go grab Carter. We're going to make a move."

O'Neill's voice brought him back from his thoughts and he walked over to where Jacob and Sam were talking.

"Major Carter. It is time to depart."

She turned to him and smiled. "Okay, Teal'c. I'm on my way."

She turned back to her father, and they embraced.

"You take care. Say goodbye to Selmak for me."

Teal'c watched Jacob's head dip then Selmak came forward.

"You can tell me yourself, Samantha."

Sam smiled, but Teal'c noticed it was not the same smile she gave to her father.

"Bye, Selmak. Look after my dad."

"I will try, Samantha but you know how headstrong he is."

"Yeah. I seem to recall that."

Teal'c suppressed a shudder as she kissed the Tok'ra lightly on the cheek. Selmak looked pleased.

"Teal'c, are you well?"

It took him a moment to realise that the creature was addressing him.

"Yes, Selmak. I am in good health."

Selmak looked at him for a few moments.

"That is good. I will bid you farewell then."

Tea'lc realised he was being dismissed, he moved a few yards away in a show of giving them privacy. They talked for a moment in low voices. He had no doubt they were discussing him.

"""""""""""

Selmak stood close to her. Sam was always caught by surprise at the different aura she got from the symbiote; she was so different from her father.

"Samantha, make sure Master Bra'tac sees Tea'lc as soon as he can."

"Okay, now you're worrying me."

"You have the advantage of the memories and sensations with which Jolinar left you. It may be wise not to ignore those feelings."

Sam sighed. The Tok'ra could be so non-committal at times.

"Are you telling me that we shouldn't trust Teal'c?"

"No, Samantha I am telling you to be aware of what you are feeling and not to dismiss it."

"Carter, are you ready?"

Jack's voice echoed around the chamber. Sam turned to see him walking towards them.

"Sir."

She turned back to Selmak but her father had assumed control.

"Just keep your eyes open. Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks to both of you."

"You're welcome, honey."

Jacob patted her shoulder.

"Oh, I nearly forgot. Dad, do you know anything about some energy readings coming from near the Gate?"

Jacob thought for a moment.

"I'll be honest we haven't done much scouting around. We've been too busy getting this place ready, but I think Ari mentioned something about some ruins to the east of the Stargate. That might be what you're picking up. Centuries ago this planet used to be a Goau'ld outpost before they depleted all the resources. They might have left something behind."

Sam turned to Jack. "Do we have time to take a look, sir?"

Jack sighed. "Okay we'll have a quick look. If Daniel makes me stand around boiling my ass off for hours, while he gets over excited about these ruins, I will be blaming you, and there will be consequences. Steak, and possibly hockey will be involved, neither of which I will be paying for."

Sam grinned. "Yes, sir."

"Just as long as we're clear, Carter."

"As crystal, sir."

"Let's go then."

Discoveries 

The four of them crested the lip of the dune. In the valley below they saw what looked to have once been a small temple. It was very nearly just a pile of rubble now, but the remains of an archway, a wall and the odd buttress was still discernible.

Jack could feel Daniel perking up without even looking at him. He looked back at his Major.

"Is this where your readings are coming from?"

"Yes, sir."

He almost smiled at the excitement in her voice.

They reached the ruin. Jack and Teal'c stood guard while Sam and Daniel had a look at the place.

Jack watched Sam sweep the area until she came to a stop in front of a wall covered in faded designs, some of which looked like strange birds. She ran her fingers over the surface.

"What's up Major?" Jack sauntered over.

"The readings are strongest here. I figure there might be some sort of chamber beyond this wall." She kept working while talking to him. "Daniel, have you ever seen anything like this?" She asked over her shoulder.

Daniel came over, and Jack moved aside to let him look.

"This is new to me. It looks a little Aztec in design, but other than that it's new to me." He took his glasses off and absently wiped them on his T- shirt.

Sam finally got lucky. Her fingers found a tiny recess. The wall slid back to reveal stone steps leading to a dark basement.

"After you, Major." Jack took out his flashlight and shone it down the steps.

The basement wasn't a basement at all but a small space no bigger than broom cupboard. It was a tight squeeze with two, so Jack and Teal'c stood watch at the top of the steps. Jack could hear Daniel's excited chatter and was secretly pleased there was no room.

"T, how about a game of I-Spy?"

Teal'c merely stared in the direction of the Gate and ignored him.

Jack shrugged. "Suit yourself."

""""""""""

Sam squinted at her monitor. "Daniel, I'm getting a strong reading from the floor, about here."

They both hunkered down to investigate. Their weapons clunked together and made crouching so closely very uncomfortable, so they both unclipped and laid them on the floor behind them.

Daniel ran his fingers over the sandy floor. "There's a slight groove in the floor here.

Sam put her hand next to Daniel's. "You're right. Let's see if we can get it open."

She reached inside her vest pocket for her little tool kit. After much probing Sam managed to get some leverage. The circle of stone slowly lifted up to reveal an object inserted into a circular bracket-like arrangement.

"Daniel, I'm getting some incredible readings off this thing."

"Is it dangerous?"

Sam shook her head. "No the power is completely contained."

"Do you have any idea what it is?"

Sam smiled at him. "Yes, I think I do." Sam brushed some dust off her cheek. "Do you remember the device Jack built to dial the Gate to the Asgard home world?"

Daniel nodded.

"I think it's like that, only better. Where the Colonel's device relied on Naquada, this one seems to function in a completely different way, but it's still, as far as I can tell, a glorified battery."

"A battery?" Daniel raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Yes, an incredibly powerful and long lasting one though. I've never seen energy conversion this efficient before. I'd love to get a look at this in my lab."

"So I'm guessing this is quite a find?"

"Are you kidding? This could solve all our energy problems. If we could somehow figure out how it works…but, even if we can't build one of our own. This unit alone could power our Stargate for decades, perhaps even hundreds of years. The benefits could be enormous."

"Best you don't drop it then, Sam."

She slapped his arm playfully. "You go up top and tell the Colonel what we've got here. I'll try to get it out of this bracket without breaking it."

"Daniel smiled at her. "Good luck."

Revelation 

Teal'c listened to Daniel Jackson as he informed them of what had been discovered. He well remembered the device O'Neill had constructed while under the influence of the Ancients. Now they had found something better. His skin prickled with excitement. What his Lord could do with such a device. Teal'c felt the tension leave his shoulders; it was time. He would destroy his false companions and return in triumph to his god's side.

He wondered why his chest ached.

""""""""""

Jack took a drink from his canteen. He peered down the steps to the chamber below. "Carter, how're you doing with that thing?"

"Good, sir. I've nearly got it out."

Jack grinned.

"Colonel, we really should inform the Tok'ra what we've found. This is their planet after all."

Jack's grin disappeared. He occasionally wished his 2IC was not quite so upright.

"Technically, Carter the Tok'ra are just squatters."

There was a pause, no doubt while she thought about it.

"That's true, sir but, still, in good faith we can't just take it without letting them know."

"Sam's right, Jack." Daniel chipped in.

"Fine, here's what we'll do, we'll take it home so Carter can play with it. Then, when we've found out how it ticks we'll tell the Tok'ra."

"Jack, that's a little underhanded."

"Daniel, what do you think the Tok'ra would do if they found something like this on Earth? Do you really think they'd be rushing to tell us about it?"

"That doesn't make what we're doing any less wrong."

"You know what? I don't give a rat's ass. We're taking it back to the SGC, end of story." Jack admired Daniel's moral fortitude but sometimes it could be a real drag.

"Did you get all that, Major?" Jack shouted down the steps

"Yes, sir."

"You nearly done down there?"

"Almost."

The blow took him completely by surprise. Jack found himself with his face in the sand and white-hot pain in the back of his skull. As if from a long way away he heard Daniel shout something.

""""""""""

Daniel couldn't believe what he was seeing as Teal'c stalked towards him. Jack was on the floor not moving.

"Teal'c, what the hell are you doing?"

Daniel's hand went to his weapon, but then he realised that he'd left it in the underground chamber with Sam. He reached for his zat' thinking to just knock him out. It was a moot point because the ass end of Tealc's staff weapon connected with his solar plexus and he fell as if he'd been pole-axed.

""""""""""

Jack felt himself turned over and his weapon being unclipped. He slipped into survival mode; his hand shot out and grabbed Teal'c's wrist; using the big man's own body weight, he heaved himself up while, at the same time aiming the heel of his other hand in an uppercut to Teal'c's jaw. The Jaffa reeled backwards with the force of the blow. Jack went for his zat, but Teal'c smashed his staff weapon into Jack's knee. The pain that blossomed was so exquisite it felt as though the entire universe had halted just to enjoy it with him. He screamed.

There is a good reason why you're taught to go for the knees of your opponent. If you do enough damage the pain alone will incapacitate them. Teal'c knew Jack, and he knew more than enough to inflict just that sort of pain.

Jack looked up through a red tinged haze of agony to see Teal'c throwing his weapons out of reach. Jack saw him turn abruptly around, his staff weapon rose… Sam.

""""""""""

Sam had heard the raised voice of Daniel; the thick walls had muffled it somewhat, and she'd assumed he was still arguing with Jack. She was concentrating on getting her discovery out from its bracket without breaking anything vital, so the noise hadn't really registered.

Jack's scream of agony however, did. She reached down to the floor behind her for her weapon. She'd never heard Jack make a sound like that before. It gave her an adrenalin burst that almost made her light headed. She ran up the steps and into the bright sunlight, which momentarily blinded her.

"Lay down your weapon, Tau'ri."

Teal'c stood over Jack who was curled up in an almost foetal position, his hands grasped his left knee; his face was a clammy grey.

Sam thought she should have been more surprised. Guilt shot through her. She should have been more wary. Selmak had warned her to trust her instincts, and she'd left Teal'c alone with her team. She gripped her weapon tighter.

"Teal'c, don't. Let's talk about this…we're your friends. Come with us back to the SGC, and we can sort this out."

"I do not wish to discuss anything with you. Lower your weapon, or I shall injure O'Neill further."

Sam watched as he held his staff trained on her with one hand while he leaned down and grabbed one of Jack's arms. He placed his boot against Jack's shoulder.

"Please, Teal'c, I know you. Trust me, and stop all this, now."

The sound of Jack's shoulder being wrenched from its socket, and Jack's half quelled cry, almost made her throw up. She could see blood running down his chin, from where he'd either bitten his lip or tongue in the effort not to scream.

"No!" Her plea sounded loud in the silent aftermath.

Teal'c let go of Jack's arm. It flopped uselessly back to the ground. Jack groaned.

"Lower your weapon."

Sam did as she was told. Strategies ran though her head; she examined each of them. The only one she could think of was to play along and wait for some opening with which she could either reach Teal'c, her friend who once trusted her, or to incapacitate him in some way. Jack was out of the game now and unless Daniel woke up with some brilliant plan, then everything depended on her.

"Throw it to me."

"She tossed him the P90. It landed with a dusty thud at his feet. He kicked it away."

"Your sidearm and zat'nic'atel also."

She complied.

"Teal'c please try and remember we're you're friends. You renounced Apophis as a false god. Remember Bra'tac? How he helped you? Remember how you saved us when we first met; you gave me your staff weapon on the Gate ramp at the SGC, remember?"

Sam took a step towards him her eyes pleaded with his.

"Stand where you are. I remember only lies and treachery. I remember how you stole me away from my god. I will return to his side with honour, and you will not stop me."

"Apophis is dead, Teal'c. Blown up with his ship. "

"Lies! Apophis cannot die, he is a god."

Sam saw the same expression she'd seen in the faces of other Jaffa who were blindly loyal to their Goa'uld masters. His eyes blazed with religious fervour.

"Teal'c, listen to yourself, this is not you. Do you remember telling me about your friend? The one you couldn't kill even though Apophis ordered you to do it. Do you remember how you let him live? It was then you realised that Apophis couldn't be all-knowing, because he would have known that you lied"

Teal'c swayed a little as though being buffeted in a sea of memories.

"Be silent, woman."

Sam took another step forward.

"Remember how you felt, Tea'lc. Remember how you felt discovering that you'd been lied to all your life. Remember your father, killed by Cronos for nothing…killed by a parasite that can only live because of you and their human hosts. Remember your son, Ry'ac. He's free because of you. You've saved him from a life of lies and slavery…"

Teal'c moved so quickly, she didn't have time to block the blow. His fist caught her on her temple; she hit the ground hard. Her ears rang, and her vision swam sickeningly.

"You will be silent, whore." He glowered down at her.

Sam lifted trembling fingers to touch her head. She could feel the wetness of blood where his fist had broken the skin. The world tilted alarmingly as Teal'c bent down, grabbed a hold of her vest and pulled her upright.

"You will retrieve the device."

For a second she didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Device?"

He thrust her in front of him until they reached the top of the steps.

"The device you found. You will bring it to me, so that I can take it and the location of the Tok'ra as gifts for my god."

He pushed her towards the steps. She managed to walk with only a slight weave. The darkness was a welcome relief from the painful light outside and it helped to clear her head. She reached the bottom and picked up her discarded tools. Her foot scraped against Daniel's weapon. She bent to pick it up.

"Throw up Daniel Jackson's weapon."

She startled at his booming voice, her heart sank as she saw her chances of saving her team diminish.

"Quickly, woman, or I will kill Daniel Jackson."

She tossed the P90 up the steps.

"Bring me the device. Now."

Sam crouched on the floor and carefully prized lose the strange module.

"I have it." She called up to Teal'c to forestall him injuring her team mates further."

"Then come up here, quickly."

Sam held the device against her chest and walked slowly up the stone steps. Her heart seemed to beat in time with her footfalls. She stepped out once more into the sunlight. Teal'c stood waiting, his staff weapon pointed at her.

"Give it to me."

Sam heard a low groan and saw Daniel moving slightly but she wasn't waiting for any help from that quarter.

"Give it to me!"

Her friend was lost to her. Sam suddenly felt hot fury at the injustice of it all. Her hands shot out, and with all her strength, she hurled the device at the stranger before her.

Teal'c had two options, either he could hold on to his staff weapon or he could catch the device. He chose the latter. Sam shoulder charged him. They landed on the ground with Sam on top. She pressed her forearm across his throat but however much extra strength her fury gave her she was no match for Teal'c. He pushed her off him, and she scrambled back up to her feet.

"Do you wish to spar, Major Carter?" Teal'c asked in a parody of his former self.

Sam kept silent and watched for him to make his move. She tried to relax her body as she'd been taught, but she couldn't; the stakes were too high. She feinted left, then dropped down for a leg sweep, but he skipped swiftly out of the way. She could see her P90 on the ground not fifteen feet away. Teal'c came at her; his hand shot out, fingers straight, for a strike to her throat. She dropped and struck out with a foot to his knee. She made contact and Teal'c grunted and backtracked, limping a little.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Daniel trying to come fully awake. If he could just reach a weapon…Teal'c came forward again; his speed was incredible. He made to strike at her head and she raised her left arm to block and dodged to the side. At the last minute he ducked under her arm and struck her with two rapid blows to the kidneys. Unlike their sparring sessions, he didn't pull his punches. Sam's world greyed at the edges. She wobbled unsteadily backwards, favouring her left side. Only her will to protect her team was keeping her upright. In the increasingly unlikely event that she lived, Sam reckoned she'd be peeing red for a while.

"Did I not instruct you to keep up your guard?" Teal'c mocked.

He came at her then, backing her up until she hit the crumbling wall of temple. She was done. The wall was rough; she could feel every sharp piece of stone as it dug into the backs of her shoulders. Teal'c's whole body pressed close to hers. She felt the heat rolling of him; his breath chuffed in her face.

His hand closed around her throat and she took a long look at her friend. She had failed him; she had failed her team. Tears joined the blood that streaked her face. Sam brought her hand up and touched his cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Teal'c."

She kissed him then, her lips touched his in farewell. Teal'c's whole body stilled for a moment. He pulled back a little and looked at her. His deep brown eyes were moist and held the expression of a lost child.

"I want to come home, Samantha."

He took his hand from her throat, and in a blur of movement he grabbed her head with both hands and smashed it into the rough wall behind her.

Sam felt incredibly light for a second, almost as though she would float away at any moment, She realised Teal'c's weight had left her. Pain and gravity seemed to hit her at the same time as she slid down the wall; her legs folded beneath her until she was sat awkwardly on the ground, her head lolled forward. She wondered if he'd broken her neck because she couldn't seem to move anything. All she could do was watch as he walked over to where he'd dropped his staff weapon and the device. He picked them both up and walked away towards the steep climb of the sand dune.

Knowledge 

"Carter."

Sam heard Jack's voice. It sounded strained.

"Sam."

She knew she should answer, but she just couldn't muster up the strength. Her eyes still tracked Teal'c as he slowly climbed the dune.

"Major!"

Sam realised that she wasn't paralysed because her head shot up, all be it rather wobbly, at the tone of her Colonel's voice. Pain throbbed in heavy thudding beats.

Incredibly, Jack began to crawl toward her. He used his one good arm and leg. His face was greasy with sweat and his pallor was ghostly.

"Get up, Sam." He panted as he continued to crawl.

Her eyes flicked to Daniel who was still lying on the ground, although his eyes were open.

"Sir?"

"You've got to get up, Major."

Jack's voice was harsh and tight with pain.

"Yessir."

Sam tried to push up with her legs but she fell over on her side, her face turned a sickly green.

"Dammit…Sam…try."

She managed to get to her hands and knees before she threw up. Her lower back felt as though her spine might crumble at any moment with the heaving of her stomach. The throb in her head became almost blinding.

She heard a grunt and looked to her side to see Daniel struggling to his feet. He managed to make it although he swayed alarmingly.

"Sam, you okay?"

"Mm, fine Daniel." She said and thought how stupid that answer was.

"Daniel. Get that weapon."

Jack stopped his slow crawl and pointed to Sam's P90 which was lying in the dust.

Daniel walked unsteadily over to it, holding his ribs the whole time. He managed to pick the weapon up without falling. He staggered over to Jack.

"Help Sam up, Daniel."

Daniel weaved his way to the wall.

"Hey, Sam. "

She hooked an arm over his shoulder, and bracing her other hand on the wall they managed to straighten up.

Jack continued to crawl toward them. He finally lay panting at Sam's feet.

"Give Sam the gun, Daniel."

Daniel handed the weapon to Sam then began to cough. When he'd finished, pink froth bubbled on his dry, cracked lips. He promptly sat down and slumped against the wall where Sam had been moments earlier. He would have liked not to sit so close to Sam's regurgitated lunch, but moving had become much less of an option.

"Carter, you have to shoot him."

All eyes were suddenly fixed on the receding figure of Teal'c. He was approximately one hundred and fifty yards away, slowly climbing up the steep dune.

"Jack, no!" Daniel rasped.

"Daniel, just for once will you shut the fuck up."

Sam looked down at Jack. Shocked at his words.

"Sir, it's Teal'c."

"I know who it is, Carter. He has to be stopped, and you're going to have to kill him. If you just wound him he might be able to make it to the gate and he'll be out of range in a minute."

Sam's stomach clenched. She was a good soldier; she followed orders but not this…never this.

"Jack…I can't."

If he was surprised at her use of his name he didn't show it. Perhaps he realised that this was something beyond rank. This was between friends

Sam felt him grip the leg of her fatigues. She wobbled slightly at the extra weight as he pulled himself up a little bit. Her head still swam, and pain thudded through her whole body with every beat of her heart.

"Sam, look at me."

She took her eyes off the figure on the dune and looked down.

"If he gets through that gate, some bastard snake is going to think it's fucking Christmas. Teal'c will give him the location of this planet and that device. Not only that, he'll give intel about our own activities and the Tok'ra's. People will die because of it, good people, and Christ knows what a snakehead will use your souped up Eveready battery for, but you can bet it won't be for the good of the human race.

Jack gripped her ankle. She could feel his fingers hold tight as though he thought she might run away. She shook her head in denial of the situation.

"Sam, why do you think Teal'c didn't kill us? He should have. Apophis would have ordered him to. Teal'c is still in there somewhere, and he wants us to stop him. "

Sam closed her eyes. She felt sick and faint. She remembered his words to her as he'd held her against the wall. "I want to come home, Samantha."

"Oh, god…he knew." Sam whispered.

She looked back down at her Colonel.

"Jack…he knew."

Jack relaxed back to the ground with a suppressed groan.

"Yeah, I think so."

There was no time to argue anymore, Teal'c was approximately two hundred yards away. Sam lifted the P90 and fitted the short butt firmly in the hollow of her shoulder.

"Sam?"

Daniel's disbelieving gasp sounded obscenely loud in the sudden silence. Sam ignored it. She knew her duty, butmost of all she knew Teal'c.

The P90 has an effective range of two hundred and twenty yards. The shot would have been difficult at the best of times. With Sam's vision blurred and her body trembling with the effort to just stay upright, it was nearly impossible.

She held Teal'c's image in her mind and almost felt him as if he were standing next to her; a warm, calming presence. She willed her heartbeat to slow and held her breath. She looked through the sight; he was moments away from being out of range. She centred his head in the smaller of the two white circles and took a second to study the metre of his steps. Time slowed for her as she calculated trajectory and speed in her head, while she waited for the perfect moment to gently squeeze the trigger. It came just as his head was about to rise as he took a step forward up the dune.

The round left the muzzle of the gun at two thousand, three hundred and fifty feet per second. Teal'c was dead before he even registered the sound of the shot being fired.

Sam watched him pitch forward onto the dune. His arms spread out as if to embrace death.

Her legs finally gave way, and she dropped to her knees. Jack's hand touched hers; she held it tight. There were no words to say.

Healing 

The Tok'ra, who'd been alerted by the sound of Sam's weapon, had found them. Once home, time spent in the infirmary had been followed by an official enquiry into the incident. All the remaining team members had been questioned as to their actions. They'd maintained a united front even if privately, Daniel was not speaking in words longer than two syllables to either Jack or Sam.

The NID had stuck their nose in at one point, only to have it broken by Jack who objected to Sam being dragged over the coals for not returning with the device she'd found. He'd punched the supercilious operative so hard the man had been unconscious for an hour.

Finally the investigators had left, declaring that Colonel O'Neill had been in the right to order Major Carter to kill Teal'c.

General Hammond gave them two weeks downtime and ordered them off base, apart from Jack, who had to stay near the infirmary to continue his physiotherapy.

Now the two weeks were up, and Sam and Daniel were both holed up in their respective labs. At least Daniel seemed to have worked through his anger somewhat, but Jack didn't push his luck by hanging around his friend too much. Sam had gone back to being her usual respectful self and managed to fit a least two 'sirs' and a 'Colonel' into every sentence she spoke to him. It was driving him crazy.

He hopped down to her lab, on his crutches. They were hell on his sore shoulder but he was tired of waiting for Sam to come out of hiding.

"Are you angry with me?"

He saw her startle then make an effort to compose herself. She'd not heard his approach, she was so lost in her thoughts.

"Sir?"

"Don't be obtuse, Carter."

She sighed.

"No, sir. I'm not angry with you."

"So, the reason why you're hiding, or when you're not hiding you're 'siring' me to death would be…?"

"It's my fault, sir."

"What?"

"I knew something was wrong with Teal'c. I should have made my self clearer."

He watched as she tensed her shoulders, as if preparing to take a blow.

"It's not just that," she continued. "I left you and Daniel alone with Teal'c, even though Selmak had warned me to trust my instincts. So I failed on all counts, and now Teal'c is dead."

Jack felt like kicking himself. He should have known Carter would pile the blame on herself. She was an expert at buck stopping.

He hopped to a stool and carefully sat down. He felt bone weary and terribly old.

"Sam, you can't blame yourself for this. You told me about your concerns with Teal'c. He fooled me completely, and I didn't take your worries as seriously as I might. So, if you want to blame someone, I'm your man. " Jack gave her a mirthless grin.

Sam's gaze was fixed on her workbench. Jack scrubbed his hand over his face; he wished he could be home, drinking himself into a dreamless nights sleep.

"I loved him too, you know?" To his surprise Jack felt tears, hot and heavy on his eyelashes. He quickly brushed them away. He felt a warm hand on his cheek. Sam was suddenly there, close to him. He could feel her calloused palm, warm and so unutterably welcome.

"I know, Jack." She whispered.

His arms went around her waist and he pulled her to him. They held each other for a long time.

End.

I am a bird in God's garden.

And I do not belong to this dusty world.

For a day or two they have locked me up.

In this cage of my own body.

And he who brought me here.

Will take me back again.

To my own country.

Jelaluddin Rumi – 13th Century Sufi poet.

/lj-cut


End file.
